India, Aug. 20 -- The Supreme Court has ruled that commuters cannot be compelled to pay tolls on highways that are incomplete, riddled with potholes, or rendered impassable by traffic snarls, upholding a Kerala High Court order suspending toll collection at the Paliyekkara plaza in Thrissur district.

A bench led by Chief Justice of India Bhushan R Gavai and comprising Justices K Vinod Chandran and NV Anjaria dismissed appeals filed by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and the concessionaire, prioritising citizens' welfare over financial losses from suspended toll collection.

"In the meanwhile, let the citizens be free to move on the roads, for use of which they have already paid taxes, without further payment to navigate t...